Cruises from NYC in winter

[jackryan]

Hello All,

I am new here, so please forgive if this topic has been covered in a recent thread. My wife and I are looking at booking a cruise from New Jersey's Port Liberty Facility [near NYC] for a February 08 departure on Royal Caribbean's Explorer of the Seas. My concern is what the cruise line will do if the port freezes. I know in bad winters NYC harbor does freeze. Do they employ ice breaking tug to keep channel clear? Will they reposition the ship? And if so, could that be on short notice requiring a late addition of a flight to reach our port? Thanks for any and all insight you can offer.

Regards,

[misterbuds]

We sailed on the Dawn to the Carribbean in January of 2003, the first year it sailed out in the winter from NYC. The day we left there was a snow/ice storm in the northeast and the temperature was about 5 degrees with a minus 15 wind chill. totally miserable weather. We had an extremely cold winter that year. Our ship was delayed leaving the docks over 2 hours. They had tugs/ice breakers constantly keeping & moving the ice away from the ship so it didn't freeze us in to the dock. Rumor on board was that the ship was also waiting for a large group of tourists from Europe who had flown in for the cruise. As far as keeping the river open, I believe NYC/Cape Liberty is a major port commercially and there are icebreakers keeping the shipping lanes open at all times. I would not think they would reposition the ship from it's embarkation/dembarkation port at last notice. I have never heard of this happening, if anything, you would be delayed from leaving.

 

I have to say leaving in the middle of winter out of NYC was a unique experience. Everyone was all bundled up tight and there was even snow on the boat since we had a snow storm that day. Kind of funny seeing everyone bundled up with snow all around and hearing carribbean music playing. Seas were definitely rougher than in the summer sailings from nyc or boston. But, the best part was in less than two days we were in beautiful shorts weather!:) Cruel reality was when we came back in 10 days to the cold weather again!! :eek:

[trish1c]

I don't know about RCL but NCL has a refund policy. If they can;t get in or out of the hardor, you are entitled to compensation / refunds. I did not research the details, but they are available if you look.

[pounder207]

I've lived in NY all my life(57) and I don't recall the harbor ever being frozen over. Cape Liberty is the old Army marine terminal. It's down river and south of the Statue of Liberty. In other words, it's not on the Hudson so the harbor is wider outside the pier and less likely to freeze over. I wouldn't worry about that, but if you're parking a car at the pier, bring some WD 40 or other de-icer with you on the cruise. You may need it to get into your car if there's been freezing conditions that could may your door locks inoperable. Happened to us last January at the West Side Terminal parking lot.

[wiskt]

I lived in NJ just across NYC most of my life and now in PA. The water will never get that cold to freeze over so much that it will cause a cruise ship or ocean liner to be ice locked.

 

Believe me a cruise ship will do all they can to make sure the path is clear to get their paying customers out of the harbour before needing to refund.

 

As for the cold,,, yes the first day will be cold, but there is plenty to do inside that first day/night. If you left from FL and it rained the entire first day you would be inside anyway..... Think of it as a day to get to know the ship layout.

[jackryan]

Many thanks everyone, we are excited and probably will book it this week.:D